1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the reading of utility meters. More particularly, the present invention relates to transmitters and antennas used to transmit signals corresponding to utility consumption. More particularly, the present invention relates to covers used with the antenna of the utility meter.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Utility meters, including mechanical, electromechanical, and solid-state meters, are well known and have been used for many years to measure the consumption of resources such as water, gas and electricity. Water meters, for example, generate data indicative of the consumption of water, where such data is used for billing purposes. Initially, utility meters were mechanical devices. As electronic technology advanced, such technology became smaller and less expensive, and thus, more suitable for use in the highly competitive and cost-sensitive utility meter market. As such, the use of electromechanical (hybrid meters) and electronic meters has become more common.
Traditionally, meter reading personnel would periodically travel to each site were a utility meter was installed, inspect a meter installation and manually record consumption data. The customer would then receive a bill based on such collected data. Today, modern meters are increasingly equipped with Automatic Meter Reading capabilities which allow utility meters to automatically communicate data to a remote location. Such technology greatly simplifies and lowers the cost of collecting consumption data for billing purposes. A meter which is intended to be remotely read is installed with a radio transmitter. The radio transmitter produces radio frequency energy that is coupled to an antenna for broadcasting.
Generally, the nature of such arrangements results in the antenna be placed in an outdoor environment, often at ground level, and in close proximity to a variety of materials and varying weather conditions. Nearby materials may include items such as metal, plastic, concrete or organic materials. Weather conditions may involve, from time-to-time, environmental exposure to ice, snow, water and temperature extremes (both cold and hot).
The radio frequency energy actually irradiated into the airwaves as compared with that intended to be irradiated is a function of a number of factors. Such factors may include the applied voltage, the amount of current flowing through the antenna, the frequency of the signal applied to the antenna, the material from which the antenna is made, the geometry of such antenna, and the materials that are in the close surrounding space of the antenna. When the surroundings of the antenna vary, the antenna performance (i.e. the degree of the radiated energy therefrom) will also tend to vary correspondingly. The more that adjacent or nearby materials tend to permeate the environment of a particular antenna, the greater the effects on the antenna and its performance, typically to the detriment of such performance.
To achieve a desired range and reliability of radio frequency communications from pit box generated data, it would be desirable to maintain a controlled and uniform radio frequency radiation pattern from the antenna used. One type of antenna conventionally used for utility meter remote transmitting utilizes a conventional loop antenna design as the irradiator element. Generally speaking, the proximity to the ground which is required for the arrangement results in a deformation in the irradiation pattern produced by the irradiated signal.
Problems encountered with such non-uniform irradiation patterns are further complicated by the fact that irradiated energy may vary from place to place where the antenna is installed. For example, in some antenna systems, there may be multiple transmitters that will be sending data to a receiver system, or the transmitter antenna will be installed in mild steel, aluminum, fiberglass, cast-iron, plastic, or concrete lids of boxes installed underground. The lids thereof are generally flush with ground-level. Such boxes are commonly called pit boxes or vaults in the utility industry, particularly in the water utility industry.
A number of attempts have been made to provide an antenna system that is capable of operating, in particular, from a water meter pit box environment. However, complete systems for water meters, on occasion, have been required to be removed from the field for reasons such as poor antenna function, poor range, inconsistent range, and other related problems that also affect the life and/or durability of the effective water meter reading system using a radio frequency transmitter system for data collection.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to the transmission of utility meter information to a remote environment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,883, issued on Jan. 23, 2001 to Jennetti et al, shows a utility meter transponder exposed ground-level antenna assembly. This is an arrangement for utility meter reading, processing and data acquisition for use with an automatic billing system involving water meter transmitter antenna system installed at or near ground-level in an outdoor environment. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus transmits utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box. The pit box receives a utility meter and has a generally ground-level lid with an opening therethrough. An antenna element has an upper member extending at least partially through the pit lid opening and received thereabove. A depending base of the antenna element extends from the upper element and passes through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box. The antenna element is at least partly exposed to its surrounding environment. A radio frequency transmitter inside the underground pit box is associated with the antenna element depending base so that radio frequency signals output by the transmitter are propagated by the antenna element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,605, issued on Jul. 2, 2002 to Walden et al., describes an apparatus and methodology for radio utility meter reading, processing and data acquisition for use with an automatic billing system. This apparatus includes a utility meter transmitter antenna system installed at or near ground-level. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus transmits utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box. The pit box includes a utility meter and has a generally ground-level lid with an opening therethrough. The antenna element has an upper member depending at least partly through the pit lid opening. The depending antenna element is capacitively coupled or provided with some sort of non-mechanical coupling to the output of an RF transmitter also included within the pit box. The antenna element components are nested for ease of attachment to or removal from a pit lid and has a rotatable threaded nut received about a depending antenna element for drawing tight against the underside of the pit lid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,976, issued on Sep. 9, 2003 to Walden et al., describes a system similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,605.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,063, issued on Oct. 16, 2000 to F. S. Salser, shows automatic meter reading technology having a communication apparatus. The communication apparatus includes a transmitter associated with an antenna wherein the transmitter is in communication with a utility meter installed in an underground enclosure. The communication apparatus includes a housing comprising a top section and a depending base. The top section at least partially houses the transmitter and the antenna with a depending base housing a power source operatively connected to the transmitter. The top section is adjacent to an exterior side surface of the underground enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,365,687, issued on Apr. 29, 2008 to Borleeske et al., provides an antenna with a disc radiator used in automatic meter reading. The antenna includes a pin and a radiator. The radiator is a disc radiator that comprises an opening that receives the pin. The pin is affixed to the radiator at one end and is disposed on a ground plane at the other end. The antenna can be a top-loaded short monopole antenna. The antenna may be used with a water meter.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,422, issued on Mar. 31, 2009 to Showcatally et al., discloses a breakaway device for use in a meter pit environment that protects connections between the components of an automatic meter reading system. At least one cable is adapted to operably couple a first automatic meter reading device and a second automatic meter reading device. Each of these devices is disposed in a utility meter pit. At least one connector is adapted to be operatively coupled to the first device or the second device and is constructed to be the decoupleable in response to a force that is less than the linear breaking strength of the cable.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0026515, published on Feb. 4, 2010 to Lazar et al., teaches a pit transmitter assembly for radio frequency communication of signals representing utility meter data. A transmitter is supported by a transmitter substrate, a planar ground conductor disposed over the transmitter, an antenna substrate disposed on an edge of the planar ground conductor, and a flat coil antenna conductor disposed on two opposite sides of the antenna substrate. The transmitter includes an L-C circuit connected to the antenna conductor to provide operation of the antenna in a desired frequency range.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0112981, published on May 10, 2012 to Crowther et al., provides an antenna mounting apparatus for mounting a water meter antenna in a boundary box lid. This apparatus includes an inverted vessel adapted to both receive the antenna and orient the antenna such that the electromagnetic radiation substantially propagates out of a boundary box covered by a boundary box lid. The inverted vessel includes a resilient mounting means adapted to secure the antenna in the vessel. A carrier is provided that is adapted to receive the vessel. The carrier includes a resilient mounting means adapted to secure the inverted vessel in the carrier.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that can be easily retrofitted to existing utility vaults.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that does not interfere with radio frequency transmission.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that provides a sealed environment for the electronics associated with the transmission of the utility meter signal.
It is another object of the present invention provide an antenna cover that can be generally flush mounted to the lid of a utility vault.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that minimizes the risk of tripping to those persons walking over the cover.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that can be easily installed.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide an antenna cover that is relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.